This gathering of 300 atheists was in a deconsecrated church in London. They sang uplifting pop songs and also spent some time in silent reflection. The meeting was led by a stand-up comedian. They hope to hold regular meetings.

Not my kind of thing, but I think it fills an increasingly large gap in the market.

Life is all too much ............................................. and not enough.

It is only when you form your question precisely and accurately that you receive the true answer.

Well... how pointless can you get? Really? Being athiest is of no concern to me at all, but having a CHURCH suggests the worship and spiritual awareness of the group of individuals that chose to come together. WHO or WHAT can an athiest church be in worship of??? Churches are for worship of a higher power. Athiests don't believe in God. It makes absolutely no sense at all.

A church for atheists makes as much sense to me as a maternity ward for virgins! (Oooo - that's a bit more profound than I first thought!)

"Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel, ac gecnáwan þín gefá!": "Fate goes ever as she shall, but know thine enemy!".
I can teach you with a quip, if I've a mind; I can trick you into learning with a laugh; Oh, winnow all my folly and you'll find, A grain or two of truth among the chaff!
(The Yeoman of the Guard ~ Gilbert and Sullivan)

so, they are atheists in need of a religious service? Does schizophrenia sound like a known concept to them?

A skeptic is a well informed believer and a pessimist a well informed optimist
The most dangerous views of the world are from those who have never seen it. ~ Alexander v. HumboldtIf you want to bulls**t me please do it so that it takes me more than a minute to find out

Wait... what? Why do atheists need a church?????? Just... go hang out at the mall why waste your time??? You don't need a church, if you want to go to church then go to a religious church! FFS...

Well, I can understand that they would like to meet up regularly at the same venue to meet like-minded people ...... and sing happy, life-affirming songs. I guess they want to remind themselves that this life is all there is and they should make the best/most of it. There's 300 of them so they need a big venue.

Life is all too much ............................................. and not enough.

It is only when you form your question precisely and accurately that you receive the true answer.

There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.

Posted 04 February 2013 - 08:50 PM

Seems kind of hypocritical to me. Why call it a church? In point of fact it is a social gathering to reflect on.... what exactly? I think that this group is just a bunch of sh** disturbers out for publicity

Seems kind of hypocritical to me. Why call it a church? In point of fact it is a social gathering to reflect on.... what exactly? I think that this group is just a bunch of sh** disturbers out for publicity

I don't think are sh** disturbers(as you so politely call them!), and they're calling it a church because they actually meet in a(deconsecrated), church! They probably chose it because it didn't cost much to hire and was a suitable size for 300 to meet in.

Life is all too much ............................................. and not enough.

It is only when you form your question precisely and accurately that you receive the true answer.

This gathering of 300 atheists was in a deconsecrated church in London. They sang uplifting pop songs and also spent some time in silent reflection. The meeting was led by a stand-up comedian. They hope to hold regular meetings.

Not my kind of thing, but I think it fills an increasingly large gap in the market.

On the face of it, it sounded absurd to me. I would have thought the closest to an "atheist church" would be a university.
But what the article described made a lot more sense than what the headline suggested.

An occasion to celebrate life, celebrate reason, and to state proudly that you believe in modernity and not some kind of medieval deity is indeed a good thing, especially now that in Europe the established religion is crumbling while at the same time massive immigration has foisted into Europe a medieval, aggressive, supremacist religion is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to the combination of demographics and political correctness.

Edited by Zaphod222, 05 February 2013 - 04:31 AM.

"The moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible." (Salman Rushdie)

When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.
(Oscar Wilde)

Posted 05 February 2013 - 04:34 AM

Coffey, on 04 February 2013 - 06:33 PM, said:

This is why I don't class myself as an Atheist. Even though I do not follow a religion or believe in god.
Atheists like this are just as bad as extreme religious people who shove their religious views down others throats. It's just as annoying and just as offensive.

That is an extremely simplistic statement. Disappointing.
But I suppose you´re just trying score some easy points which cheap shots.

Edited by Zaphod222, 05 February 2013 - 04:34 AM.

"The moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible." (Salman Rushdie)

Education...has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.
-- G.M. Trevelyan

Posted 05 February 2013 - 05:34 AM

"Far better to call it something like cultural humanism..." Now that is a better name then atheism. (Better name for what I believe as well and fixes the problem I had with atheism).

A problem I have with no religion is that there is no sense of community anymore.

I'd consider a church to be a university or a school anyway it is supposed to be about learning, thinking, and improving one's self, not just about following, submission, and unrequited self-sacrifice.

"De Botton says he wants to promote overlooked virtues such as resilience and humour." Makes me want to rub myself down with bacon and butter, That is something I could back easily.

Well... how pointless can you get? Really? Being athiest is of no concern to me at all, but having a CHURCH suggests the worship and spiritual awareness of the group of individuals that chose to come together. WHO or WHAT can an athiest church be in worship of??? Churches are for worship of a higher power. Athiests don't believe in God. It makes absolutely no sense at all.